Hydrocarbon-furnace



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. HOLLAND. Hydrocarbon Furnace. No. 239,785, Patented April 5,1881.

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4 Sheets- Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

0'. HOLLAND. Hydrocarbon Furnace. N0. 239;?85. Patented April 5 III/11A N. Pnm PBOTDJJTHOGRAPHEH, WASHINGTON. D C.

5 in vllIllf/f (No M-odel.) I 4Sheets-Sheet 4.

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Hydrocarbon Furnace No. 239,785. Patented A rii 5,1881.

Wi'zizessesr 'KE ERS, PHOTWLITHOGRAPHEIL WASHINGTON D C TE STATES P TENT Orr n.

CHARLES HOLLAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HYDROCARBO N-FU RNAC E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No. 239,785, dated April 5, 1881. Application filed May 22, 1880. (No model.)

This invention isspecially applicable to comotive-engines, steam fire-engines, and engines for marine propulsion, furnaces for the treatment of ores and metals, and situations where, in the application of heat, sparks or ashes or other deposit of residuum from the fuel is objectionable, and also wherever lightness and compactness of fuel are desired, and

is advantageous in being easily and instantly controlled and regulated, and requiring no la bor in stoking or firing.

The nature of this invention maybe briefly stated to consist in first passing steam or waterintoheated vessels or retorts, from which it issues at a high temperature andpasses into combining-tubes with acurrent of oil, which it carries with it and delivers in a second series of retorts, discharging their products of distillation into a series of pipes, as shown in the drawings annexed and described in this specification, and embracing, amon g'other features, a series of separate retorts connected by tubes and secured in position in the furnace, so that all surfaces are susceptible of inspection and less liable to strains from local contraction and expansion of parts than the retorts formed of several chambers in one casting, such as are set forth in my Letters Patent No. 203,828. In case of leakage in any of the retorts so assembled and connected there. is no risk of intercommunication with the other retorts.

I will now proceed to describe more particularly and exactly the modeof conducting this process, and describe an apparatus for the purpose, referring in so doing to the drawings annexed and the letters of reference marked thereon.

The drawings show the invention as applied to a locomotive-engine boiler.

Figure 1 shows a plan with the furnace or .rooforown removed; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation in the plane indicatedby the line a: a: in Fig. 1 Fig. 3., a partial vertical section in the plane indicated by the dotted line y y in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 shows a side elevation with the side wall of the furnace removed; Fig. 5,

a front elevation with the front wall of the furnace removed. Fig. 6 shows the combining-tubes in section on an enlarged scale. Figs. 7 and 8 show a modification of the lower part of the furnace, drawn in the same planes of sectional elevation in Figs. 2 and 3. Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 show enlarged sections of the apparatus in detail; and Figs. 17, 18, 19, and 20, modifications in form and application of the entire apparatus.

The same letters of reference apply to the same parts in the several figures.

A represents the furnace or combustionchamberof alocomotive-boiler; A,the metallic wall of the fire-box; A the surrounding waterspace; A the flues or tubes leading to the chimney, A, the furnace-crown, and A the crownbars. This portion of the apparatus does not materially differ from that in general use, and

any other etlicient form of furnace, either for steam-generation or metallurgic or other purpose, may be substituted in making useful application of this invention.

The floor of the furnace A is composed of plates B, fitting closely to each other, with proper pro 'ision to remain close and tight without cramping or distortion from unequal expansion and contraction. In the floor=plates B are formed a series of tubulures or jet-pipes, B,

in the form of truncated hollow cones, the smaller end being upward. The function of these conical jet-tubes B is to admit the vaporous, gaseous, or aerit'orm fuel and the air with which the said fuel is burned, and to heat such air as itpasses upward or inward to the combustion-chamber. 'Thejet-tubes B are preferably arranged at equal distances inparallel rows, for the better distribution of the gasjets in the furnace, and also. for the more convenient connection of the gas supplying and distributing tubes, as will hereinafter appear.

Centrally located in each of the tubulnres B are jet-tubes 0, made preferably of tips 0, having small central conical apertures, and inserted in pillars or tubes 0 fitted gas tight in elbows 0 attached by tubes 0 branching laterally from pipes 0 The pipes G are hermetically closed at the ends 0, and at the opposite ends are inserted gas-tight into the pipes 0 and C The pipes C are arranged horizontally beneath the floor-plates B, in parallel position with each other, between alternate lines of tubulures B, so that each pipe G supplies the lines of branches and jet-tubes 0 upon both sides thereof. The lower pipe, 0 is larger than the upper pipe, 0, and supplies the fuel to the pipes C under the four outer floor-plates B, while the upper pipe, 0, supplies only the two pipes C under the central pair of plates B, and the short pipes C under the end of the four outer plates B, toward the right hand in Figs. 1 and 2. The short pipes O are placed above the pipes 0 under the outer plates B, and supply by branches 0 jet-tubes G, extending upward into the tube B under the retorts or generators D D The tubes 0 are closed at their ends farthest from the pipe 0 D and D are retorts or generating-vessels placed a little distance above the plates B and jet-tubes B, over the outer floor-plate B, and as'close as may be conveniently arranged toward the wall of the furnace. D and D are smaller retorts or generating-vessels, similarly placed above the jet-tubes B of the central plate B.

From the upper part of the retorts D and D are tubes D and D which unite in the upper end combining-tubes E E, (shown in section in Fig. 6,) consisting of one jet-pipe, E, surrounded by another tube, E and having "in common one delivery or discharge tube, E

The lower ends of the combining-tubes E E are connected by suitable tubes, E to the retort D and D at their base. A similar series of pipes, D and D connect from the upper part of the retorts. D and D lead to the pipes O and C The retorts D, D D and D are supported upon pillars F, and held thereon by bolts F extending through lugs F cast on the retort, down through the pillars F and plates B, where they are secured by a suitable nut, F The upper end of the pillars F are formed with jaws F for the purpose of embracing the lugs F and better retaining the retorts in position. The pillars F, lugs F jaws F and bolts F and nuts F should be so fitted and adjusted as to permit of the expansion and contraction, and yet to safely retain the retorts in position.

Into the retorts D and D are fitted pipes G and G, provided with valves G and G leading from a tank containing water or steam under pressure. These pipes G and G extend through the furnace-wall A and water-space A and serve to admit Water or steam into, the

- retorts D and D Similar pipesH and H,

also extending through the furnace-wall A and Water-space A and provided with suitable valves or stops, H and H, connect one of the branches of each of the combining-tubes E E with a vessel, K, containingliquid hydrocarbon or oil under pressure, and serve to introduce in regulable quantities a supply of such fiuidto the retorts D and D Under each of the tubes 0 is placed a trough,

L, having perforations in the sides, through which the branches 0 extend. The functions of the troughs L are to avoid or to intercept currents of air from cooling the pipes (3 and to retard radiation of heat from the said pipes 0 and they may be filled for the more effect ual retention of heat with a non-conductin g or slow-conducting substance, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The spaces between the jet-tubes or tubulures B in the floor-plates B may be similarly covered with non-conducting material, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

Upon the floor-plate B, at the part under the retort D is formed a rim, M, inclosing a small cavity or basin, M, into which a pipe,

with a suitable cock or valve, N, terminates. A damper, P, or register for closing off the air-supply under the furnace-floor, is fitted beneath the trough L.

The operation of the process with the apparatus is as follows: Alighted match is placed. in the cavity M and a small amount of oil, admitted through thepipe N,isignited therein, heating the retort D At the same time a small supply of water is permitted to flow into the retort D ,Next a small supply of oil is admitted to the retort D. Steam, generated and superheated, issuing from the upper part of the retort D passes by the pipe D to the combiningtube E, where it commingles or combines with the hydrocarbon issuing from the tank containing it under pressure, and discharges it in a finely-divided state into the retorts D and D where it is converted into gas at a high temperature, and, passing down to the pipe 0", is distributed through the pipes 0 through the jets (J, carrying air with it through the tubulures B in. the central floorplates B B, and ignited in the furnace. At the same time that the gas is delivered and ignited with air entering the tubulures B of the central plates B of the furnace, gas enters through the tubes G through jets C under the larger retorts D and D the ignited gas entering the furnace-chamber with the air through the tubulures B and floor-plates, and thus heats the air at its entrance to the furnace-chamber, and very soon heats all of the retorts D D D D in the furnace. When this takes place oil is admitted to the retort D and steam or water to the retort D. As the temperature increases the flame in the furnace, issuing from or entering the tubulures, from being at first of yellow color and luminous becomes a clear blue or purple and transparent, and the entire furnace-chamber is filled with ignited gases of intense temperature. The issuing products of combustiomafter passing through the boiler-fines, are transparent, invisible, and almost inodorous.

By means of the valves G2 and G H and H which, for convenience of manipulation, should have indices and dials or notched sectors, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7, for the purpose of showing and holding them in adjustment.-

The supply of fuel and temperature can be controlled to meet the varying requirements of work.

The combined effect of steam or water passing into and through the retorts and mingling with i the products of oil or hydrocarbon distillation,

. cable.

The easy adaptability of this apparatus to any form of furnace affords a degree of latitude in planning boiler and engine constructions not found in any other constructions where boilers having furnaces fired in the usual manner are inadmissible. Modifications of this character and of the form and position of the retorts are shown in Figs. 17, 18, 19, and 20.

The jets may impinge directly on the heatabsorbing surfaces, as shown in Figs. 17 and 18, or may be so located as to pass into the flues, as in Fig. 19, or the heat-absorbing surfaces may be increased by the introduction of a coil of tube, through which the water of the temperature securing at all times complete combustion.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In an apparatus for burning hydrocarbon fluids with steam and air, the combination of two or more pairs of separate retorts heated by gases generated therein, so connected by tubes with a hydrocarbon fluid and water or steam supply and with jet-tubes from which the resultant gases or vapors and steam are burned that one retort of each pair shall receive a supply of steam or water, and shall, after superheating such steam therein, discharge it with a hydrocarbon fluid into the other retort of the pair, from which the resultant heated gases or vapors pass to the jet-tubes at the points of combustion in the furnace, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for burninghydrocarbon fluids with steam and air, the combination of two or more pairs of separate retorts so connected with each other and the steam or water supply and the hydrocarbon-fluid supply and with the gas-distributing pipes and jet-tubes or burners that the steam superheated in one retort of one pair shall enter the second retort of said pair and the gases or vapors, or a portion thereof, generated. in such second retort shall supply the heating-jets under both sets of retorts, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES HOLLAND.

Witnesses J os. L. GREENWALD, J. DANIEL EBY. 

